New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-04
sFcDFT5eY R1Y4RUS ETASIONS.

|
! Tho et,,o Dcnartment has evidently been
ser;ouslv embarrassed by the premature dls-
ciosure Of IFS policy by the British Govern
mont II has undertaken to conclude a treaty
| throuob the agency of a Joint Commission III
defiance of the wishes of the senate as eA'
pressed in the resolution adopted on March d.
1856. by vote of 35 to 10. III has obstina'ely
adhered to it's own scandalous compact WIN
the British Minister into which 1T was en-
trapped in the spring of 1850. 1t has per
sisted in negecting to enforce the Retaliation
Acts PASSED by Congress for the protection oil
the American fishing fleet. 1t has piacea
itself in the attitude of openly antagonlzins
both houses of Congress by its agreement
with the Salisbury Government and naturally
il is greatly annoyed by the premature rev.
Citations of Sir James Ferguson. Evasion has
followed evasion, the existence of binding
agreement being denied and exception beng
taken to TIE title conferred upon Mr.. Chamber
lain in connection with the negotiations. sec
retary Bayard is at loss to understand why
the chief British representative Is caneo
Commissioner" He prefers to regard hlh
rs "negotiator- and intmates that he MN
self NAV be the sole representative oil Amer
lean interests He stoutly ayers that thcrc
can be no Commissioners for The Unlted
States since the State Department has no
authority to organize % JOINT COMMISSION
At the same time he is very happy over I'd"
results of recent negotiations and is conidehe
that every complication that has arisen on tie
northern frontier since the Treaty OF 1918 Is
in fair way to be compromised ana setllcu'
Our London correspondent in to-days dis
patch properly characterhes the ambiguous
explanations and denials of the State Depart
ment as diplomatic fencing. He states that
there can be no doubt whatever as to the fact
that the two Governments have entered into
an agreement and that it is binding one.
The scope of the Commissions laborS re-
mains to be defined and many details arc to be
settled. as is evident from Sir James Fergus
sons second explanation in the Commons
but a compact has been made. Secretary
Bayard's quibbling over the title OF
commissioner is anticipated by our
London correspondent when he shrewdiy
saws that Lord Salisbury is suili-
cicntly familiar with American CONSTITUTE M
law to know that there is nothing to prevent
the President from asking half a dozen states
men to meet in Washington in order to discuss
the fisheries question. This is what Secretary
Bayard has in mind when he speaks OF Mr.
Chamberlain as a ncgotiator rather than
Commissioners As the Senate has cmphlticaly
condemned the project for Commission, he
peters for the sake of appearances TO en-
ploy the number agency Of negotiatcls. But
he makes no effort to conceal his expectation
that the conference at Washington will lead to
IL a: r ,,,I A. ~
treaty. All Juggling of phrases apart, this
is the policy which the Senate by It's resolution
of March IS, 1856, and Congress by its two
Retaliation Acts, has cmphaticaliy condemned.
If Secretary Bayard, for the sake of avoid
ing the appearance of opposing the wishes ol
the Senate, shall neglect to appoint Com
missioncrs and attempt to meet singc-handcd
Mr.. Chamberlain. Sir Lionel West and Can
adian statesman OF the first rank, Heaven
help American interests Compromise
is the ruling principle of his nature.
Instead of protecting American interests be
will be certain to sacrifice them. Instead OF
vindicating historic rights he viii surrender
them without cause. For example, it has
already been ntimatcd by Sir James Ferguson
that the Bchring Sea question may be included.
Ids announcement II dfCOlilbHiNu ny pihih
Gus uttcrances fom the State Department.
The recent seizures in those waters are OK
planned ~ the enforcement of various Acts OF
Congress without reference to the treaty OF
ccssiOn or TO International law. The
lIerad's" Washing ton correspondent says 1t
is not believed in official circles that the cX-
istng laws made by Congress can be sustained
according to the law of nations If the
State Department is in mood to submit the
treaty with Russia to the Commissioners OF
ncgotators for revision, it is in a fair way
to surrender national rights all along the line
from the Seal Islands to the Bay OF Fundy.
The Department has an abundance OF soft
cartilage 1t is lamentably deficient in old
fashioned American bone.
THE ANARCHISTS APPEAL.
L a.